Idiosyncrasies of Thai's
Idiosyncrasies of Thai's
Why is it, that something fitted to all mechanically propelled vehicles on Thai Roads, seem to have something thet the Thai nation seem unable to operate in some cases at all, at best spasmodic.
I am talking about the wonderful information tool called the INDICATOR.
Police cars, Buses, Coaches, cars, lorries and of the course the humbe motorbike, all those drivers seem unable to grasp the concept, it is the most annoying, frustrating and sometimes downright dan gerous bit of ineptitude I have seemn in the 12 countries I have lived in and the 23,
I have visited.
Has someone got any ideas as to why?
I am talking about the wonderful information tool called the INDICATOR.
Police cars, Buses, Coaches, cars, lorries and of the course the humbe motorbike, all those drivers seem unable to grasp the concept, it is the most annoying, frustrating and sometimes downright dan gerous bit of ineptitude I have seemn in the 12 countries I have lived in and the 23,
I have visited.
Has someone got any ideas as to why?
Guns
Why signal if they don't even look before turning?Just another Thai custom!Stay alert expecting these little customs!It has helped me slow my speed down alot as defensive driving is the driving plan of the day!
What good are signals ,when the traffic is coming and going in all directions on the same side of the road!
I had used my bad back as an excuse to go 140 on the long drives as I am in a hurry to get there and the driving to be over!But now I confine it to daylight driving only since I saw a car run over something in the road that was unseen because the lighting is so bad or nonexistent on many long stretches of the roads!
Defensive driving with a slower pace is now my motto!It also helped me accept the slower pace of Thailand and retirement in general!More sanuk and less stress!
Daylight long trip driving,I still get to use my heavy foot
What good are signals ,when the traffic is coming and going in all directions on the same side of the road!
I had used my bad back as an excuse to go 140 on the long drives as I am in a hurry to get there and the driving to be over!But now I confine it to daylight driving only since I saw a car run over something in the road that was unseen because the lighting is so bad or nonexistent on many long stretches of the roads!
Defensive driving with a slower pace is now my motto!It also helped me accept the slower pace of Thailand and retirement in general!More sanuk and less stress!
Daylight long trip driving,I still get to use my heavy foot
When I first came, I really thought maybe their additional poise and awareness from being buddhists explained the reckless driving and that there were not as
many accidents as you might think. This theory has since been proven wrong.
On my last trip up to Udon, our bus rear-ended a pick-up at speed just outside
of Khon-Kaen. Totalled the truck and would you believe it actually disabled the
bus if you can imagine the speed differential that must have been involved. The
whole bus shook and I was near the back. Had to wait nearly two hours for
another bus(with available space) to bring us on to Khon-Kaen. My point is, even
taking public transportation, you're not immune to the lacking driving skills.
many accidents as you might think. This theory has since been proven wrong.
On my last trip up to Udon, our bus rear-ended a pick-up at speed just outside
of Khon-Kaen. Totalled the truck and would you believe it actually disabled the
bus if you can imagine the speed differential that must have been involved. The
whole bus shook and I was near the back. Had to wait nearly two hours for
another bus(with available space) to bring us on to Khon-Kaen. My point is, even
taking public transportation, you're not immune to the lacking driving skills.
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cali, you gotta be kidding me, i wouldnt get a long distance bus here if you paid me big money, they gotta be the worst drivers in thailand, most are off thier face on yaba. my biggest beef about indicators is when you get to some lights and there is a filter lane right, your going straight on and the car in front indicates to turn right just as the lights change to green and hes in front of you in the straight on lane. what makes the pr~cks that do that think thier so special they cant join the right lane and wait like everybody else, instead they hold everyone else up. if they did it in the U K they would be fitting a new windscreen every week. i think thier selfish arrogant f~cking w~nkers and could quit happily smack that stupid smirk of thier f~ucking thai faces, and im not a violent man!!!!!!!!!!
I guess my years of living in Florida has prepared me for the Thai driving skills or lack there of. Florida a.k.a. God's waiting room has got to have drivers or par with the Thai's. The problem with many of the drivers in Florida is they are unaware of there diminishing skills and health along with being unaware of traffic around them I can handle motorcycles driving in any direction and poor driving skills but there in one thing that does make me nervous, vehicles without lighting. I have had a few close calls in the short time I've been here.
I'll be in for new driving experiences starting next week. I just accepted a teaching job 20 km. outside of Mahasarakham. I'll get to see what new driving hazards I'll have to get used to
I'll be in for new driving experiences starting next week. I just accepted a teaching job 20 km. outside of Mahasarakham. I'll get to see what new driving hazards I'll have to get used to
I don't take buses on long hauls either for the same reasons.I don't take trips with Thais driving period!If I don't drive,I take the train and hope we don't hit anything at a crossing,plus the train only trips along at about 50kmh,and I sleep peacefully
Thai1on,you going to be commuting from Udon everyday?
Thai1on,you going to be commuting from Udon everyday?
- wokkawombat
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- jackspratt
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Or just to add to the total confusion - my favourite "why the f*ck do they do that" - using the hazard lights when going through a 4 way intersection.
Given that so many vehicles have broken lights and or globes, or one of the indicator lights may be obscured, you can get a totally misleading read if you take any notice of the flashing hazards.
The big problem that I see, particularly here in the sticks, is that "learner" drivers have no formal instruction, or they are being taught by people who themselves have no clue - sort of the blind leading the blind" (no pun intended)
Given that so many vehicles have broken lights and or globes, or one of the indicator lights may be obscured, you can get a totally misleading read if you take any notice of the flashing hazards.
The big problem that I see, particularly here in the sticks, is that "learner" drivers have no formal instruction, or they are being taught by people who themselves have no clue - sort of the blind leading the blind" (no pun intended)
Stan, no the school is giving the wife and I a free house to stay in. I was pleasantly surprised to find it is a modern 3 bedroom home. I will taking the bus to Udon for the monthly meeting at the night market.
I know of one hazard I'll have to be on the lookout for, water buffalo and cattle, eating the grass in the median of the highway I will relate any of the rural idiosyncrasies I incur.
I know of one hazard I'll have to be on the lookout for, water buffalo and cattle, eating the grass in the median of the highway I will relate any of the rural idiosyncrasies I incur.
a person mention learner drivers, well, in this country you can go and take the computor test, drive around the circuit inside the tst centre and then go out and buy a 3000 litre fortuner and drive it on the road, without EVER having to drive at all anywhere, apart from the test. NOW that is what I call amazing and explains just about anything else for that matter.
Budda rules OK YA !!. ummmmmmmmm??
Budda rules OK YA !!. ummmmmmmmm??
Guns
Are you kidding,they pass along 500 baht,get the license and leave!Test?Guns482 wrote:a person mention learner drivers, well, in this country you can go and take the computor test, drive around the circuit inside the tst centre and then go out and buy a 3000 litre fortuner and drive it on the road, without EVER having to drive at all anywhere, apart from the test. NOW that is what I call amazing and explains just about anything else for that matter.
Budda rules OK YA !!. ummmmmmmmm??
- jackspratt
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MIRRORS
another thing is mirrors,everytime i come back to udon the mirrors have been removed from my motorbike by my stepson.when i ask how he can see behind the answer is never look behind , if someone hits you from behind their fault,unbelievable...stokiebaz
- beer monkey
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Re: MIRRORS
The last Honda i brought well over 6 years ago is STILL in its original condition, never been dropped , never been tampered with, no scratches, still got the mirrors and still got the granny basket attached its used daily !!...needless to say i am very surprised each time when i see it, unlike the very first one i brought down phuket way, wheels had be changed, front brake gone,mirrors gone,Basket gone,stickers gone, seat gone.................................different girlfriend back then though..She Gone too.stokiebaz wrote:another thing is mirrors,everytime i come back to udon the mirrors have been removed from my motorbike by my stepson.when i ask how he can see behind the answer is never look behind , if someone hits you from behind their fault,unbelievable...stokiebaz